Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 305 Thorns
She suddenly stopped, glanced at Xue Sui, and lowered her voice.

"Grandpa Laifu said..."

Xue Sui raised her eyes: "What did he say?"

“He said…” Ruyi seemed a little confused, shook her head and then whispered, “He said… that the roads are slippery in the snow, the young lady is weak, and if there’s nothing wrong… she shouldn’t go down the mountain.”

She quickly added another sentence.

"It was strange; he left right after saying that, as if he was afraid of being seen."

Xue Sui remained silent for a moment, then said calmly, "I understand."
-
The master and servants sat around the fire and chatted for a while.

Before long, the sounds of carriages, horses, and voices could be heard outside the temple.

The nun led in a sharp-looking young man and several servants carrying camphor wood chests.

The boxes were covered in snow, clearly having just been unloaded from the carriage.

The leading man, dressed in the uniform of a guard from the Prince Duan's residence, respectfully clasped his hands in a salute to Xue Sui, showing great courtesy.

"Greetings, Master Miaozhen. I am Xiangyang, and I have been sent by the Princess to deliver some winter supplies to you, young lady. The Princess said that life in the nunnery is austere, and that you are in poor health. She earnestly hopes that you will take good care of yourself and accept these tokens of her kindness."

"Thank you for your trouble, Guards." Xue Sui glanced at the camphor wood chests, his expression calm and indifferent.

"Please convey my gratitude to the Princess for her concern."

"Yes. The goods have been delivered. I'll go back and report now."

"Thank you for your trouble! Jinshu, see the guest out." Xue Sui nodded slightly.

After Xiangyang left, Ruyi and Xiaozhao worked together to open the heavy camphor wood chest.

Inside, neatly arranged were fine silver charcoal, several brand-new, thick, plain-colored cotton robes with fine cloth linings, and a few bolts of plain brocade in a subdued color. On the top layer was an exquisitely crafted mahogany food box, wrapped tightly in its packaging.

Upon opening the food box, one finds exquisite pastries reminiscent of those served in the imperial kitchen…

Ruyi sighed from the side, her tone full of naivety.

"The princess is such a kind person, still thinking of sending so many things to the young lady even in this heavy snow..."

Xiao Zhao glanced at her, said nothing, and silently counted the items.

Anyone with eyes could see that the gift was sent by the prince's confidant. How could such thoughtful winter supplies have been sent by the recently troubled Princess Duan?

After Li Huan gained control over the defense and supervision of the capital region, the atmosphere in his residence changed drastically.

Retainers and advisors came and went frequently, and the guards under the eaves had changed into new armor. The air was filled with a chilling atmosphere that kept strangers at bay.

Princess Ruihe, Li Yuning, has become a frequent visitor to the Prince Duan's residence.

She was clever and knew how to please Xiao Aning. Whenever she came, she could always make the child giggle. Then she would get involved in the affairs of the Prince's mansion. One day she would care about the tea and snacks, and the next day she would comment on the scenery in the garden. She would mingle around Li Huan in the name of "younger sister", and she had become half the mistress of the Prince's mansion.

The embarrassment and torment Xue Yuechen is currently experiencing can be imagined.

"That Princess Ruihe's skin is thicker than a city wall; she's practically sleeping on the floor of Prince Duan's mansion. Just thinking about the life the Princess Consort lives makes me feel sorry for her," Xiao Zhao said, chuckling softly as she tidied up her things.

"As expected," Xue Sui said indifferently.

“What Prince Duan wants is the support of the old troops of the Longyou Army, and Princess Ruihe is the most readily available and substantial stepping stone. As for the Princess Consort…”

She smiled slightly, "When a chess piece loses its value, discarding it is only a matter of time."

Xiao Zhao raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "As long as the infighting in the Prince Duan's mansion is to our advantage, we don't care which woman the Prince Duan likes..."

Xue Sui gave a cold smile. "The princess is close to the prince. If she is driven to a corner, she might become a double-edged sword..."

Xiao Zhao: "The princess is the prince's princess, and their interests are intertwined; they're ultimately in the same boat..."

"Intertwined interests?" Xue Sui sneered. "Once she witnesses the ruthlessness of the imperial family, she'll know how deep the river is..."

She got up and walked to the window, gazing at the snow-covered distant mountains, and continued, "Go to the Xue residence and find Third Madam Qian. The incense offerings at Shuiyue Nunnery are thin in winter, so I'd like to ask her to help contact the Princess and several familiar wives of officials to come to the nunnery before the New Year to perform a small Buddhist ceremony and add some incense oil, so that the nuns can have a warm New Year..."

"Didn't you dislike getting too involved with Princess Duan? Why did you take the initiative to invite her?"

"Times have changed. After all, we're sisters, so I should lend her a hand."

"Does the young lady intend to... turn the princess against her?" Xiao Zhao suddenly realized.

"It's not about turning her to defect, it's about making her see reality," Xue Sui said.

Xue Yuechen was not stupid, and she knew Li Huan's temperament.

Once the Xue family loses power, she will be like a rootless duckweed in the Prince Duan's mansion. Without an heir to rely on, and with Ruihe causing trouble, her situation will only become more difficult. Rather than waiting to die, she should find a way out for herself.

Xiao Zhao nodded: "You are wise, Miss. I will listen to you."

Ruyi blinked, looking confused: "Miss, I think I understand, but I also think I don't understand..."

Xue Sui glanced at her, his gaze falling on the winter supplies, and gave her a casual instruction.

"Then go and distribute the charcoal to the monks in the nunnery. Put away the cotton robes and cloth, and you can divide them among yourselves. You can also take the snacks from the food box."

Ruyi immediately became happy.

“Miss, look how good this charcoal is, and the cotton robe is so thick…” Xiao Zhao looked at those things and suddenly remembered the Crown Prince Li Zhao’s merciless rebuke and harsh words on the street. A sense of injustice welled up in her heart, and she snorted heavily and muttered to herself.

"But that Crown Prince is too heartless. He treated the girl like that..." "He has his own difficulties."

Xue Sui spoke calmly, as if he were talking about an insignificant stranger.

"Pack your things and come with me to find Master Huiming. Let's check on the preparations for the Dharma assembly."

Xiao Zhao and Ruyi exchanged a glance, then said, "Oh, yes."

—

In the first month of the lunar calendar, the snow had cleared and the sky was bright, but the chill was even stronger.

The capital city seemed frozen solid; few pedestrians walked the streets, and those who did were hurrying along with grave expressions, as if afraid of provoking the omnipresent patrolmen of the military command.

At this moment, the Baohua Hall is filled with a warm and fragrant aroma.

Xiao Qing'er stroked her still-flat stomach as she sat on a soft couch covered with a white fox fur, her face paler than the fox fur on the couch.

"Your Majesty, another message has arrived from over there."

The trusted palace maid, Lü'e, hurried in, knelt on the ground, and presented a sealed letter with both hands.

On the seal, an iris poised to take flight is clearly visible.

Xiao Qing'er took the letter, her fingertips touched the iris flower, and she suddenly clenched it tightly, tearing it open with tension and force.

The handwriting in the letter was messy, yet every word was sharp as a knife.

"Xue Liu is a remnant of the old mausoleum, who has secretly returned to the capital only for revenge. She is already aware of what the Xiao family did back then. To protect the Xiao family and the imperial heir in her womb, this root of trouble must be eliminated. The prayer ceremony is a divinely granted opportunity; you should ensure that this threat is never forgotten..."

“Ping Le… is not insane…”

Xiao Qing'er murmured.

She was once Ping Le's study companion and was one of Ping Le's former "own people," so she knew very well how ruthless Ping Le was.

A person who would drown his own sister is capable of anything when pushed to the brink.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" The palace maid, Lü'e, asked worriedly when she noticed that Lü'e's complexion was not right.

When Xiao Qing'er thought of Ping Le's appearance, fear coiled around her like a venomous snake, almost suffocating her.

"go with!"

She suddenly looked up, a sinister glint in her eyes.

"Bring me that little gilded enamel box from the very bottom of my vanity case. Quickly!"

"Your Majesty..." Green Crescent Moon was slightly startled, "The auspicious time for the Dharma assembly is approaching, and the ladies of various households have already entered the hall one after another..."

"Enough nonsense!" Xiao Qing'er interrupted sharply, her chest heaving. "Ping Le holds something on me. She knows what I know..."

"But the empress..."

Do you want to die with me?

Green Calyx turned pale with fright and dared not say another word. She hurriedly got up to fetch it.

Xiao Qing'er slumped on the soft couch, her fingertips digging deeply into her palms.

She thought of Xue Sui.

The people in my memory are always stuck many years ago...

These women from noble families, pampered and privileged, had always taken pleasure in bullying others and never faced any repercussions for it. But when it came to being humble and insignificant, no one was more vulnerable and easier to bully than the taciturn Xue Liu.

He always kept his head down, wore faded old clothes, and could be bossed around even by servants...

They could pour hot tea on her, burn her fingertips with red-hot hairpins, force her to embroider a mandarin duck handkerchief with her bleeding fingers, or lock her in a drafty woodshed on a snowy night, tear her clothes and stuff them into her mouth...

He humiliated her in every way imaginable, resorting to any means necessary.

Just for a moment of pleasure.

Who could have imagined that ten years later, that lowly illegitimate daughter, as insignificant as an ant, would return in such a resolute manner?

And he even became a figure who stirred up trouble?

The rumors circulating about her in the court, Ping Le's order to kill her... all confirm that Xue Liu is a threat fraught with unknown dangers.

That's absolutely despicable.

She must die too.

Xiao Qing'er's eyes gradually burned with passion, then slowly closed, she lowered her head and stroked her lower abdomen, tears streaming down her face.

“My child, this is all I can do.”

　Xue Sui: It's New Year's Day! It's New Year's Day again...

　　Reader: It's unbearably hot, so hot, so incredibly hot...

　　(End of this chapter)